DANIEL WADDINGTON'S STRUGGLE IN HULL: SEX OFFENDER'S FAILURE TO REGISTER AND LIVING IN WOODS LEADS TO COURT SENTENCE
Daniel Waddington, a convicted sex offender residing in Hull, found himself back in legal trouble after repeatedly neglecting his obligation to register his whereabouts with the police.His failure to do so was primarily due to the logistical challenge of walking to the police station, which was an hour away from his remote living location.
Waddington, aged 29 and living on Lansdowne Road, Bridlington, had previously been convicted in March 2021 of three separate offences involving the possession of indecent images of children.
His crimes included searching for material involving 'jailbait teens,' 'school girls,' and 'young teen porn.' As part of his sentence, he was subjected to a three-year community order, 30 days of rehabilitation, and participation in a 90-day sex offender treatment program.
Additionally, he was subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order and was mandated to register as a sex offender for the same period.
Despite these strict conditions, Waddington’s compliance with his notification duties was inconsistent.
At the time of his conviction, he was homeless, which complicated his ability to adhere to the requirement of informing authorities weekly about his location.
He failed to notify the police on February 15 and 22 of the previous year, and his compliance became increasingly sporadic afterward.
He also missed notifications on March 21 and 28, and again on April 10.
During court proceedings, prosecutor Michele Stuart-Lofthouse highlighted that Waddington had acknowledged understanding the registration requirements but claimed that homelessness and physical limitations, such as a bad knee, hindered his ability to attend the police station.
He explained that walking the long distance was particularly difficult, especially given his circumstances at the time.
Waddington admitted to ignoring police text messages and acknowledged breaching his community order on three occasions—August 22, September 12, and September 18—by missing scheduled appointments.
Since then, he had failed to attend any further meetings.
His overall compliance was described as 'poor,' with the probation service noting a lack of motivation despite efforts to accommodate his situation.
Out of 140 scheduled appointments, he attended only 86.
Defense solicitor Harry Bradford acknowledged Waddington’s breaches but emphasized that his client was struggling with homelessness and personal issues at the time.
Bradford described Waddington’s living situation as being in a tent in a wooded area four miles from the nearest town, which made attending appointments extremely difficult.
He stated, “He had removed himself from society as far as he could to get away.
He lived in a wooded area in a tent four miles from anywhere else.
To walk to the police station was an hour there and an hour back.
Essentially, he buried his head in the sand.” Bradford further explained that Waddington had been turning down support from professionals and had effectively isolated himself from society.
However, he noted that Waddington was now making efforts to reintegrate, with stable accommodation secured for the first time in a long period.
The solicitor emphasized that the person who had previously failed to comply was not the same individual sitting in court now, and that Waddington was attempting to rebuild his life.
In sentencing, Judge Tahir Khan KC sentenced Waddington to 15 months in prison, suspended for 15 months, along with 15 days of rehabilitation.
The ongoing requirements of the sexual harm prevention order and the notification obligations remain in effect.
The judge remarked, “You haven't knuckled down and done the work you should have done,” highlighting concerns about Waddington’s previous lack of effort in complying with court orders and his responsibilities as a registered sex offender.
